The realization of high-performance optoelectronic devices, based on GaN and other nitride semiconductors, requires the existence of a high-quality substrate. Non-polar or semipolar substrates have recently been proven to provide superior optical devices to those on conventional c-plane substrates. Bulk GaN growth enables GaN substrates sliced along various favourable crystal orientations. Ammonothermal growth is an attractive method for bulk GaN growth owing to its potential to grow GaN ingots at low cost. Here we report on improvement in the structural quality of GaN grown by the ammonothermal method. The threading dislocation densities estimated by plan-view transmission electron microscopy observations were less than 1 x 10(6) cm(-2) for the Ga face and 1 x 10(7) cm(-2) for the N face. No dislocation generation at the interface was observed on the Ga face, although a few defects were generated at the interface on the N face. The improvement in the structural quality, together with the previous report on growth rate and scalability, demonstrates the commercial feasibility of the ammonothermal GaN growth.

To determine the means and variations in CH4 uptake and N2O emission in the dominant soil and vegetation types to enable estimation of annual gases fluxes in the forest land of Japan, we measured monthly fluxes of both gases using a closed‐chamber technique at 26 sites throughout Japan over 2 years. No clear seasonal changes in CH4 uptake rates were observed at most sites. N2O emission was mostly low throughout the year, but was higher in summer at most sites. The annual mean rates of CH4 uptake and N2O emission (all sites combined) were 66 (2.9–175) µg CH4‐C m−2 h−1 and 1.88 (0.17–12.5) µg N2O‐N m−2 h−1, respectively. Annual changes in these fluxes over the 2 years were small. Significant differences in CH4 uptake were found among soil types (P < 0.05). The mean CH4 uptake rates (µg CH4‐C m−2 h−1) were as follows: Black soil (95 ± 39, mean ± standard deviation [SD]) > Brown forest soil (60 ± 27) ≥ other soils (20 ± 24). N2O emission rates differed significantly among vegetation types (P < 0.05). The mean N2O emission rates (µg N2O‐N m−2 h−1) were as follows: Japanese cedar (4.0 ± 2.3) ≥ Japanese cypress (2.6 ± 3.4) > hardwoods (0.8 ± 2.2) = other conifers (0.7 ± 1.4). The CH4 uptake rates in Japanese temperate forests were relatively higher than those in Europe and the USA (11–43 µg CH4‐C m−2 h−1), and the N2O emission rates in Japan were lower than those reported for temperate forests (0.23–252 µg N2O‐N m−2 h−1). Using land area data of vegetation cover and soil distribution, the amount of annual CH4 uptake and N2O emission in the Japanese forest land was estimated to be 124 Gg CH4‐C year−1 with 39% uncertainty and 3.3 Gg N2O‐N year−1 with 76% uncertainty, respectively.

The cellular levels of adenine nucleotides and their metabolites in ischemic rat liver were assayed by high pressure liquid chromatography with high theoretical plate numbers. The method was sensitive enough to measure all the metabolites in about 1 mg of tissue, and to examine changes in their levels in a single liver in ischemia. In ischemia the cellular level of ATP decreased rapidly. Concomitantly there was a transitory increase in AMP, followed by its degradation to allantoin via adenosine with accumulation of all species of purine catabolites. NAD was also degraded gradually with concomitant accumulation of nicotinamide. Thus, the level of total adenine nucleotides decreased during ischemia and the amount of this decrease ws equal to the sum of the amounts of catabolites produced. The ATP level was rapidly restored on recirculation after an ischemic period of less than 15 min. However, recovery of the ATP level was depressed by prolonged ischemia and was not observed after an ischemic period of 2 h. Intermediate purine catabolites that accumulated in ischemia were also cleared during recirculation either by their removal in the blood flow or by further oxidative degradation, but they were not salvaged for reuse until the cellular level of ATP was restored. Administration of allopurinol resulted in marked accumulation of hypoxanthine in ischemic liver, but neither this drug nor chlorpromazine had any appreciable effect on recovery of the ATP level during recirculation.

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GaN was grown on a 3 Â 4 cm 2 oval-shaped GaN seed crystal by the ammonothermal method. About 15-mm-thick GaN films were uniformly grown on each side of the seed. The Ga-polar surface was filled with pits whereas the N-polar surface was featureless. The photoluminescence (PL) characterization also indicated qualitatively uniform optical properties on each side of the crystal. The PL emission from the Ga-face was dominated by the yellow luminescence whereas that from the N-face showed dominant band-edge emission. These preliminary characterization indicated qualitatively uniform growth of GaN on an over-1'' seed and demonstrated the scalability of the ammonothermal method.

Abstract:The variation in snowmelt energy and energy components were evaluated with respect to forest density. Surface snowmelt rates, surface evaporation from snow cover and meteorological elements were measured in the open and under sparse (411 trees/ha) and dense (1433 trees/ha) larch canopies. The surface snowmelt rate decreased as the forest density increased. Based on the observations and energy balance analyses, we concluded the following.(1) Albedo decreased while the bulk coecient for latent heat increased with forest density. (2) The duration of snowmelt increased with forest density because the energy for nocturnal cooling of the snow cover decreased. (3) When comparing the open and forested sites, the changes in snowmelt energy with forest density were caused by sensible heat¯ux. However, the contribution of net radiation was highest in the forested sites. Therefore, the eects of forest cover on the snowmelt energy were dierent when comparing both the open and forested sites and the sparse and densely forested sites. (4) The ratio of net radiation to snowmelt energy increased with forest density; although both snowmelt energy and net radiation decreased with increased forest density, the snowmelt energy decreased more rapidly. Sensible heat also decreased as forest density increased. Both albedo and downward long-wave radiation in¯uenced net radiation.

An intrinsic ATPase inhibitor inhibits the ATP-hydrolyzing activity of mitochondrial F1F0-ATPase and is released from its binding site on the enzyme upon energization of mitochondrial membranes to allow phosphorylation of ADP. The mitochondrial activity to synthesize ATP is not influenced by the absence of the inhibitor protein. The enzyme activity to hydrolyze ATP is induced by dissipation of the membrane potential in the absence of the inhibitor. Thus, the inhibitor is not responsible for oxidative phosphorylation, but acts only to inhibit ATP hydrolysis by F1F0-ATPase upon deenergization of mitochondrial membranes. The inhibitor protein forms a regulatory complex with two stabilizing factors, 9K and 15K proteins, which facilitate the binding of the inhibitor to F1F0-ATPase and stabilize the resultant inactivated enzyme. The 9K protein, having a sequence very similar to the inhibitor, binds directly to F1 in a manner similar to the inhibitor. The 15K protein binds to the F0 part and holds the inhibitor and the 9K protein on F1F0-ATPase even when one of them is detached from the F1 part.

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